"Anonymous Tip

By
Law Offices of Paul D. Petruzzi PA
|February 23, 2015

According to Key West Police, an anonymous tip led to the arrest of Alisher
Zaharov and Andrei Balouev, who are being charged with felony counts of
selling marijuana and selling prescription drugs, and a misdemeanor count
of possession of drug paraphernalia. As any defense lawyer will tell you,
when law enforcement uses the … it is usually an informant that
they don’t want to …. These guys better hire a Florida Criminal
defense lawyer who knows how to best handle their case. According to the
Miami Herald,

An anonymous tip led to the arrests of two men charged with possession
of a large amount of illegal drugs, including more than 500 Xanax pills.

Alisher Zaharov, 21, and Andrei Balouev, 33, are accused of selling marijuana,
Xanax and other drugs, according to Key West police. They were released
from the Monroe County Detention Center on Stock Island Wednesday on $5,000
bond each.

Each is charged with felony counts of selling marijuana and selling prescription
drugs, and a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

That followed execution of a search warrant by a small army of law enforcement
— the Key West Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations,
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Customs and Border Protection
and even the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service.

When police searched the property, Key West officer Henry Del Valle wrote
that Zaharov admitted to selling marijuana and Xanax and specifically
asked if he would be charged with three felonies.

Police said they found at the residence a mason jar with 511 Xanax pills
in it, more than $5,000 cash and 3 pounds of marijuana in vacuum-sealed
bags. Police also found an invoice in Zaharov's bedroom for hypodermic
needles, which he allegedly sold.

When everything was added up, law enforcement officers retrieved more than
3 pounds of marijuana, 538 Xanax pills, $6,922 cash, a couple scales and a BB gun.

Balouev was previously arrested on charges including cocaine possession
in Key West in 2006.

Balouev is scheduled to appear before Monroe County Judge Wayne Miller
at 8:45 a.m. March 4, while Zaharov is scheduled to appear before Monroe
County Circuit Judge Mark Jones at 8:45 a.m. the following day.

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